The Exército do Lula WhatsApp group, led by Deputy André Janones (Rede-MG), has expanded to nearly 6.5 million members since Brazil’s first presidential election round. Campaign advisors are now urging President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to join the channel, claiming his direct messages would strengthen support ahead of the October 30 runoff. Lula has not yet agreed, even though he previously pledged to purchase a smartphone if the group reached 5 million users—a milestone it surpassed weeks earlier.
Janones created the channel in April with just 50,000 followers before transforming it into an election platform after Lula’s close loss to Flávio Bolsonaro in the first round. Since October 5, it has become central to digital campaigning, sending supporters on “missions” such as sharing pro-Lula content, promoting hashtags, and criticizing Bolsonaro’s campaign. On debate night, Janones dispatched 369 messages, including 47 voice notes, before being hospitalized for cardiac arrhythmia. This left the group without leadership for a full day.
The group’s impact extends beyond digital spaces. It organized protests during Bolsonaro’s Globo TV interview and mobilized supporters for campaign events. However, its rapid growth has drawn legal challenges. The Tribunal Superior Eleitoral (TSE) temporarily suspended the channel twice after Bolsonaro’s campaign filed complaints, citing false information and lack of official registration. While the TSE’s technical team found no evidence of misinformation, they did identify deleted or altered posts. The petista campaign later registered the group to allow its reactivation but denied any involvement in its operations or funding.
In response, Bolsonaro’s campaign launched its own WhatsApp network, the Tropa do Flávio, led by Deputy Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG). By October 19, it had 2 million members, though it trails significantly behind the Exército do Lula. The competition highlights how WhatsApp has become essential in Brazil’s election battles.
Lula’s hesitation to join stems from his long-standing discomfort with technology. He has never owned a smartphone and has historically avoided social media, favoring traditional campaign methods.
